


Sea and Sand

by Liv_andletdie



Series: Sea and Sand AU [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Ganondorf raising Link and Aryll as Gerudo, I know nothing about sailing, Scenes of violence, but nothing too graphic, something I have plans to work on in the future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 15:07:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11534754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liv_andletdie/pseuds/Liv_andletdie
Summary: Fanfic request- an AU where Ganondorf adopts Link and Aryll as babies and raises them as Gerudo.





	Sea and Sand

When he awoke from his sealing, to a world of water and salt, the first thing the demon King thought of was home. 

The land of Hyrule, as he knew it, was gone. Flooded in an attempt to keep him at bay. An entire country of people lost to the great rushing waves. Only the top of Death Mountain was recognizable to the old Gerudo. The salt stung his wounds, his eyes, and his mouth as he surfaced above the water. He splashed and thrashed against the waves and current threatening to pull him down. Threatening to drag him below to the land he had cursed to die beside that foolish king. 

His ornate armour pulled him down, the leather growing heavy with the water. Ganondorf kicked with his legs, desperate to stay afloat as he unbuckled the straps to the now deadly protection. The metal buckles slipped under his fingers but he finally managed to free himself. He ignored the piercing grief that took a hold of his heart as the armour sunk beneath the waves. The last thing he had of his people, his sisters, his mothers, was gone. 

A boat on the horizon caught his eye. The large white sails looked like clouds on the shore, a sea shanty floated over the air. The joyful singing made him sick to his stomach. He waved his arms, splashing and kicking trying to catch the attention of the man on the boat. The shanty stopped and the boat got closer. 

It was small, only big enough for a crew of 4 at most. The warped wood was painted a deep purple and was chipping with age. Painted on the side was a yellow triangular pattern, the abstract shapes setting a fire in his blood. Ganondorf cursed the ship at it sailed towards him, the sailors reaching down and pulling him out of the water. 

He didn’t see their faces as he coughed up seawater. The sharp salt caused a burning in his throat, one of the crewmembers was rubbing his back, muttering that everything was okay. It was patronising and annoying. He continued retching as a warm blanket was draped over his shoulders. He began to feel tired, the struggling to stay afloat had exhausted him. And now, in the relative safety of the ship he let his eyes shut. The annoying voice continued, speaking instead to his crewmates. 

“Take him home” he said “To Outset” The voice faded out as darkness overcame him. And Ganondorf collapsed on the deck.  
\---  
For a moment he was home, back amongst the shifting sands. He could feel the sweltering summer sun beat against his skin, the joyful laughter of his sister rang through the air as they played. Strips of coloured fabric danced through the sky as the biting desert wind blew through them. He watched, transfixed, as the rainbow strips wrapped around him, shading him and his sisters from the torturous sun. 

The ground beneath him began to move, the sand undulating and dancing beneath his feet. He looked around, watching as the dunes rose up in waves, threatening to crash down and suffocate everything he had ever known. His sister’s laughter turned to cries of terror as the dune crashed over them. The home he had known was drowned in a sea of sand. 

He fought to get to them, to wade through the hot dry desert until he found his sisters and mothers. He cried out for them, his voice that of a scared and frightened child. The sand threatened to choke him, it blew into his face, blinding him as he pushed onwards. 

And then he woke up. 

The rocking of the waves against the boat caused his stomach to churn. He hated how unstable the ocean was, how the air tasted salty and damp. Ganondorf looked around, trying to get some bearings of where he was. But all he could see in every direction was water. 

“Glad to see you’re up” an entirely too chipper voice said “You must have been having one heck of a nightmare, you were rocking more than the boat” 

Ganondorf turned to where the voice was coming from. His heart stopping in his chest as he took his first look at the sailor. A hot rage settled in the pit of his stomach. His hands clenched into fists around the old warm blanket he’d been given. The sailor before him seemed unaware of his hatred, as he looked on him with those cursed blue eyes. 

Blue eyes and blonde hair. 

A child with a sword 

The so called hero 

The sailor looked like _Him_. Ganondorf fought back the rising anger, the grief and heartache was still too fresh. Who knew how long it had been since he’d been unsealed, since that foolish king had prayed to his pathetic deities to drown his people. What King would swallow the land in water? All because one _child_ refused to show up. 

“You okay there buddy?” The sailor asked noticing how quiet the old Gerudo was. 

“I’m fine” Ganondorf bit, moving to stand at his full height. He towered over the rest of the crew, this wasn’t new, he’d towered over everyone he had ever met. Including those two witches who had raised him. Kotake and Koume were most certainly dead. The revelation did little to lighten his spirits. 

“That’s good” The sailor smiled, coming to stand closer to him “you got a name?” 

Suddenly defensive, the Gerudo King took a step back. What would they do if they knew his name? if they knew who he was? The last time he had shown up, hundreds of innocent women and children had drowned. Would they throw him back over board? Tie weights to his ankles so he would suffer the same fate as those before him? The bottomless blue ocean looked deadly and horrifying to the old king. 

“No” he replied, eyes fixed on the small smudge of brown on the horizon. Was it land? Was there still land in the goddess forsaken place? 

“Really? That’s strange. Everybody’s got a name” the sailor prodded “I’m Gilligan” he held out his hand to shake. Ganondorf looked that the calloused palm with something akin to disgust. He kept his own arms wrapped firmly around himself, holding the scratchy blanket against his skin. Gilligan dropped his hand, moving to wipe his palm against his trousers. 

“So… where you from stranger?” he asked, trying to get the man in front of him to talk. Ganondorf only glanced at him, anger rising each time he saw Gilligan’s face. The blonde hair, blue eyes, and those ridiculous ears were enough to put him on edge. 

“Gerudo Desert” he replied, keeping his voice level. The harsh wind whipped around them, biting into their skin. It was unlike anything he had known before. The desert wind was harsh yes, but it was hot and dry. Specs of sand would dance through the air and graze your skin if you strayed too far from the protective walls of the fortress. 

“Desert? What’s a desert?” the foolish sailor asked. 

Ganondorf felt his heart sink. He’d suspected it. From the second he’d surfaced above the menacing blue waves he had known. 

That fool. That incompetent fool. Not only had he doomed his own people to suffer in a watery grave, but he had doomed the Gerudo to suffer as well. Ganondorf felt his heart shatter, the cries of his sisters echoed in his ears. They were all dead. They had been slain at the hands of that idiot Hylian and his conniving daughter. 

He was the last Gerudo.  
\---  
Gilligan was a strange, annoying, man. In the absence of any information or name from Ganondorf, the idiot sailor had taken to calling him “Big Man”. It wasn’t a name that Ganondorf particularly liked, but it was certainly much better than any other name he had been given over his long life. The rest of crew seemed to adopt the stupid pseudonym, much to the Gerudo’s chagrin. 

They had been sailing for, what felt like, months. Nothing but blue water surrounded them day in and day out. The endless undulating of the waves caused Ganondorf's stomach to dance. He hated it. Even the desert, with its shifting sands and deadly winds, was more stable than the rickety purple boat he called shelter. 

And still, the brown smudge the horizon alluded them. 

He remembered faintly hearing something about home. A place called Outset. Ganondorf prayed that it was an island and not, in fact, another boat. He wanted to know where they were taking him, what lay at the end of this tumultuous voyage. He was tempted to ask, to get some answers. But he was terrified. 

The King of the Desert was terrified of being found out. Surely they would hate him if they knew who he was? 

So he kept silent, like a certain young boy he once knew. He allowed the loud and overly cheerful crew to do the speaking for him. Every Night they would sing, ridiculous sea shanty’s and legends of old. The constant noise grated on his nerves. Gilligan tried to get him to join in, teaching him the words, but he refused to sing. Instead he would sit and listen and try to ignore the pounding in his head as he thought of home. 

The dreams were the worst. Every night, as the waves slammed into the side of the ship, he would dream of his sisters, of his mothers, of Nabooru. She had betrayed him, helping the _Hero_ with his quest. As long as he lived, Ganondorf knew he would never forgive her. 

As the days went on, the songs continued. Gilligan was the worst for it, humming and whistling all day as he worked. He favoured one song above all others, “the legend of the Hero of Time” he called it. He said they sung it at home, at Outset. Yet Ganondorf still had no idea what that was. 

Despite his discomfort, Ganondorf found himself falling into a routine. Every morning waking up and helping with the ship, The crew taught him what he needed to know. They seemed to find it amusing that he didn’t know how to sail. They had quickly stopped laughing however when Gilligan noticed how angry it made Big Man. 

The brown smudge began to grow bigger as the days passed. Ganondorf was considering how his life would continue once they reached their destination when the first cries rang out. 

Another ship. A bigger ship, was coming in close. The flag that flew was black with the image of a laughing skull and crossbones. It meant nothing to him, but to the rest of the crew its mere presence caused a debilitating fear to flood the deck. 

“Pirates” Gilligan breathed, the panic shaking in his voice. 

“What do they want?” Ganondorf asked, looking out at the oncoming vessel. It was still too far to see the crew but he could smell them. A rancid stench that put the goblin folk to shame. He held his breath as the crew of the pirate ship prepared to attack. 

“I have no idea” Gilligan replied, his hand fumbling for the sword at his hip “We’re a simple trade ship. We have no valuables” 

“But you’re armed” Ganondorf pointed out, suddenly aware that he was not. The blade shook in Gilligan’s grasp, the sun glinting sharply off of the cold metal. “No one arms themselves to protect nothing” He reasoned. The Hylians before had drowned to protect the triforce, and soldiers armed to protect the Princess. Even she had donned arms to protect the _Hero._

“These are ceremonial” Gilligan defended, even though Ganondorf was hardly convinced, “It’s tradition for the men of Outset to wield a sword. It’s not like we use them!” He was terrified, the rest of the crew arming themselves with shaking hands. 

“You’ll need to use them now” Ganondorf intoned darkly. The weight of his words were not lost to the sailors as the pirates drew nearer. Gilligan tugged on Ganondorf’s arm, trying to get his attention. 

“Hey Big Man, get below decks” He was trying to play Hero, Ganondorf knew, trying to limit casualties. He was a fool. He was going to get slaughtered. But, he noted with some disdain, Gillian was a fool with a point. At this moment, Ganondorf was unarmed. 

But that hadn’t stopped him before. 

Before he could respond, to order Gilligan to hand over his weapon and hide like a coward, the Pirates drew close. The ship drew up next to them, the foul smelling mercenaries dropping to the small purple boat. 

They smelled worse up close, Ganondorf noted biting back the bile that threatened to rise at the stench. The pirates didn’t seem to care or mind as they stalked closer. Their leader, Ganondorf presumed, stood in front of them all. His hair was matted and thick, a messy beard hung from his chin. He was missing three teeth in the front and the rest of the teeth that remained were horribly rotted. 

“Well well well” he croaked, his hands landing on his belt, eyes counting the 4 blades pointing in his direction “look what we got here. A Trade ship” The pirates all laughed, their voices a deafening cacophony. Ganondorf held firm, looking at the men who had saved his life only months before risk theirs. 

Gilligan moved to stand before him, his sword held out to protect his crew and his cargo. 

It was a bold move, but it was also a move that would ultimately cost him his life. 

“There’s nothing on board this ship of value” he said, trying to appear fearless in the face of danger “leave now, or I will be forced to take action” 

The pirates laughed again, their foul breath suffocating the air. The Captain rubbed a tear from his eye, his wheezing coughing laugh putting Ganondorf on edge. 

“Take action? HAHA You brought a knife to a gunfight boy” He pulled back his grimy coat to show a strange foreign weapon on his hip. Ganondorf wasn’t sure why, but the entire crew froze in terror. 

Except Gilligan.

His silence seemed to anger the pirates. One of them stepped forward, swinging his own sword and catching Gilligan in the side. The sailor collapsed as the metal dug into his flesh, red blooming over his shirt. One of the crew, a man Ganondorf knew as “Rummy”, swung his sword to protect his friend. 

The deck erupted into a battle, Pirates drawing their weapons and pouncing on the sailors. Blood spilled across the deck, the stench mixing with the foul odor of the pirates and causing Ganondorf’s stomach to lurch. He was almost distracted as one of the pirates advanced on him wielding a knife. 

_He’s gone for the unarmed man_ Ganondorf thought, taking a defensive stance. Years of training kicking in as he readied himself for the attack _What a fucking coward._

As the pirate launched himself, the Gerudo king took a hold of his wrist. He twisted, causing the coward to drop his weapon, the bones in his hand cracking under Ganondorf’s forceful grip. Suddenly all he could see was red. The light blue of the pirates eyes stared at him in agony as his hands closed over his throat. Ganondorf lifted the poor fool by his neck, strangling him under his powerful grip. He thrashed and kicked, trying in vain to break free. His matted brown hair hair contrasted against his skin as it turned a deep blood red. Ganondorf squeezed harder, watching as the light in his eyes faded away, his skin turning blue as he struggled to breathe. 

The other crewmembers noticed, running over the deck to try and stop him. But it would be too late. 

With a final push Ganondorf felt the bones in the pirates neck snap. His arms hanging loose by his sides. The Last King of the Gerudo let his sorry body fall, a loud thud was heard as he crashed against the deck. 

Reaching down for the knife that had been dropped, Ganondorf armed himself. He prefered using a sword or a scimitar, but he supposed that a Knife would have to do. Straightening up he prepared to defend himself against the oncoming attackers. 

One of the brave, or foolish, men swung at him, earning himself a blade in the neck. Ganondorf pulled it out, ignoring how the hot blood spurted and spluttered, spraying over him. The man collapsed to the deck and Ganondorf took his sword. 

The next opponent swung, adrenaline and fear fuling his movements. It was clear he’d never fought before today. _What a shame_ Ganondorf almost thought as he expertly dodged the wide arc of the blade. Stepping to the would be warriors defenseless side he plunged his blade between his ribs. He let out a scream of pain, falling to the floor as Ganondorf pulled his sword from his side. He cleaned the blade off on his sleeve, before turning on the final man. 

He was young, the youngest probably, and shaking. Unlike his partner he was frozen in fear. Petrified and stuck on the deck. His sword grasped between his shaking hands. It really would be a pity to cut him down so early in his life. But then, it had been a pity for hundreds of defenseless Gerudo to die. 

His guilt free from his mind, the legendary Demon King strode forward, blade shining in the sunlight. His opponent never knew what hit him. 

Ganondorf looked around at the scene of carnage that littered the deck. Gilligan lay on his side, clutching his wound in agony. Rummy and his friend were dead, run through by the Pirates that he had just slain. 

He was that last one standing, forced to defend a ship and a crew he had never cared for. 

The Pirate Captain advanced on him, drawing his strange weapon from his hip. He pointed it at Ganondorf, the strange cylinder aimed directly at his heart. The Gerudo showed no fear stepping over the corpses that littered the deck. 

“Wait” Gilligan cried out, his voice weak as he pushed himself from the deck, his blonde hair red with blood. “Don’t shoot” 

Before Ganondorf had time to dissect Gilligan’s outburst a loud bang rang out. A small explosion, a puff of smoke appearing over the Captain’s hand. _He’s mastered Din’s Fire_ Ganondorf thought stepping back in shock. But no flame was seen, only smoke rising from the strange cylinder. 

Something heavy crashed into him, pushing him back. Looking down Ganondorf saw Gilligan, collapsed on top of him, a new wound present in his lower back. A small hole, blood streaming down his skin. 

It suddenly clicked as the Gerudo King tore his gaze from the man collapsed at his feet. The Captain looked frantic, fiddling with the dangerous weapon. That thing, whatever it was, could fire things faster than an arrow with more accuracy and speed than a crossbow. 

Not giving the Captain time to mess with his instrument, Ganondorf drew his knife and threw it, catching the pirate between the eyes. He fell to the ground, joining his pitiful crew in the sacred realm. 

Kneeling down beside Gilligan, he pulled him into his arms. The sailor coughed up blood, but was still alive. Though it was clear to Ganondorf that he wouldn’t have much time left. 

“You saved me” he said, almost in disbelief “You don’t even know me” 

Gilligan shook his head as best he could. He was bleeding out fast, his skin going ashen and cold. 

“I sensed good in you” he croaked, choking on the blood that dribbled down his chin. _Then you’re a fool_ Ganondorf thought, fighting down the strange panic that threatened to take ahold of his heart. 

“Please” Gilligan choked again “g-go to… outset….my kids….look after….. My kids” 

And then he was gone. 

Ganondorf didn’t care. Why should he? Why should this man, this Hylian, live while his people were drowned?! The Hylian’s were evil and greedy! It was their greed which had caused the flood, their avarice that trapped the Gerudo in the desert. 

But yet, as he sat there, surrounded by the bodies of enemies and allies alike he could not bring himself to feel nothing. He shut Gilligan’s eyes, laying him gently on the wet wooden deck. He needed to clean up the ship, and prepare for a journey to Outset.

Setting about his task, Ganondorf tried to prepare himself for the silence that would succumb that night.  
\---  
The journey to Outset was silent. The smell of blood still permeated the air. Ganondorf didn’t sleep, focusing instead on the brown smudge on the horizon. He sailed non stop, using the tools Gilligan had taught him, to keep the boat in the right direction. He mapped out the stars as Rummy had shown him, using them to guide his way. 

Within a week of constant sailing the brown smudge began to gain shape. Two spires of rock peaked out of the ocean, thick trees lining the top. As he got closer he could make out a rope bridge connecting the two landmasses, a few cottages and a makeshift dock. 

He had searched around in Gilligan’s bunk for any clue as to who his children were. Ganondorf didn’t want to be stuck looking after the wrong kids. He’d found a strange portrait, there was no visible pencil marks or paint. Just two smiling children captured in their perfect likeness. A boy and a girl, perhaps 2 years apart in age? It was difficult to tell with Hylians. The boy looked to be around 4, he shared his father's light blonde hair and blue eyes, as did his sister. Their names seemed to be written on the back in a language Ganondorf could only half read. The Hylian language had changed so much since he had been born. 

_Link and Aryll_ the writing said, and he bit down the bile that rose at the familiar name. 

It was night when Ganondorf came ashore. The feeling of sand under his feet made his heart pound. It had been so long since he had felt it between his toes. Clutching the portrait in his hand, he made his way to the first cottage he saw. 

It was large, with a porch that stretched out to the beach. An upside down triforce was painted on the door, it’s image causing a heat to rise in Ganondorf’s chest. He curled his hand into a fist, knocking loudly against the wood. 

The door was answered by an old lady, shrunken with age and bent over a cane. Her expression dropped when she saw him, a grief clear in her eyes. She looked out to the dock, seeing the purple boat bobbing with the waves. 

“Gilligan?… is he…?” she failed to complete her question. The pain in her eyes cut him like a knife, and for the first time Ganondorf wished it had been him who had been wounded instead of Gilligan. 

“Dead” His voice was thick, tears he hadn’t even noticed were welling up in his eyes. Gilligan had been the first person to show him kindness in centuries. It dawned on the old Gerudo that he missed him. 

“Did you….?” 

“No. It was pirates” 

The old lady seemed to accept that. Her tears streaming down her face. He could tell she was holding them back for the most part, trying to appear strong as Gilligan once had. She wiped her tears from her cheeks, noticing the picture in his hand. 

“I’ve come for the children” he explained. It didn’t escape his notice how she shifted, moving as if to hide herself from him in the shadows of the doorway. 

“I won’t let you take them” She choked, biting back her tears as he stepped closer. He handed the portrait to her, pushing past her and stepping into the darkness. The moonlight streamed through the window, casting strange shadows over the furniture. 

“With all due respect” he started, keeping his voice low “You can’t stop me” 

He made his way towards the ladder that led to the children’s bed. The soft sobs of the old lady behind him caused a weight to settle in his chest. He hated this, leaving an old woman alone. But he had promised. He would take care of the children. 

He paused, a hand holding one of the ladder rungs. Taking a deep breath he turned to the old woman, her form silhouetted in the doorway by the bright moon. 

“I will keep them safe” he said, hearing her sobs catch in her throat “I’ll make sure they can defend themselves. They will be strong and resilient. I shall raise them as my own” His words offered little comfort as she continued crying. 

“Can I at least say goodbye?” she asked, her voice on the edge of begging. It broke him, a tear of his own sliding down his cheek. He could only nod, his voice failing him. _I never got the chance to say goodbye_ he lamented, climbing up the ladder _I will not show this vai the same cruelty._

The children were sleeping, huddled in blankets and clinging to one another. Their steady breaths echoed in the silence of the room. He felt his heart stop in his chest at the sight, these two children, innocent of the sins their ancestors committed centuries ago. 

He reached out a hand, shaking Link’s shoulder slightly. The boy woke up, his eyes bleary and unfocused as his sister wriggled. Link looked around the room, eyes finally landing on Ganondorf. He did not cry, or scream, only held his sister tighter. 

“Pack your things” The Gerudo told him “You’re are coming with me” 

“Where?” the boy asked, shifting to get out of bed, his small legs hanging over the side. 

“An adventure”

“Is Aryll coming too?”

“Yes Link. Aryll is coming too” The child seemed happy with that answer, methodically packing everything he and his sister might possibly need on their adventure. Back downstairs, the old lady could be heard crying, her sobs muffled by her hands. 

Ganondorf lifted Aryll from the bed, cradling her against his chest He took the bags Link had packed in one hand and began carefully climbing down the ladder, cautious not to drop Aryll or fall. Link followed, sleep still heavy in his eyes. _He can rest on the boat_ Ganondorf thought moving to stand beside the old woman. 

She hugged Link fiercely, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. He hugged back, promising to see her soon. Ganondorf lowered Aryll so that the old woman could properly give her goodbyes. Her tears threatening to spill over as she kissed her granddaughter gently on the head. 

“Will I ever see them again?” she asked, her voice shaking as she clung to Link once more. The Old Gerudo nodded, holding Aryll close to him. 

“One day” he promised walking out of the door. Link followed, his footsteps soft against the wooden decking. He turned back and waved to his Grandma, not noticing how the moon made her tears shine like stars. 

He followed the tall man to the boat, noticing in his half awake daze that it had once been his father's. The purple paint was peeling and the yellow triangles were dimmed but it was still the same ship. Yet the noticeable absence of his father struck a chord with him. _This is why Grandma was crying_ he thought climbing on board. 

The man led him below decks, placing his sister on a bunk and pulling the blankets up around her. He looked at Link, a hand gesturing to the space in the bed beside Aryll. 

“Get your rest boy” he said, the deep timbre of his voice was almost ancient “You’ll need it” Link nodded, climbing and resting beside his sister. He began to feel sleepy once again. The night pulling at him. Aryll squirmed softly in her sleep and the tall man stood watching for a little while longer. Link was about to speak when he turned to leave. The wood creaked under his footsteps and the rocking of the boat against the waves threatened to lull him back to sleep. 

“Wait” he called out, his voice barely a whisper as to avoid waking Aryll. Link watched the tall man stop, he was silent but Link took that as his cue to continue. “What’s your name?” 

The man sighed, holding onto the ladder that would take him above deck. In the moonlight Link could see his fiery red hair and dark skin. He looked impressive and sad. A grief weighed on his shoulders. 

“Ganondorf” he said, not looking at the children. “My name is Ganondorf. Get some sleep Link” 

And with that he was gone, the moonlight shut off by the trapdoor. His footsteps echoed above Link and Aryll but the children paid it no heed. They only rested, rocked to sleep by the gentle waves.

**Author's Note:**

> This will be part of an ongoing thing however I am on Hiatus now for health reasons. I really enjoyed writing this and I'm happy I could start this story. 
> 
> If you're interested in my other requests you can find me at liv-andletdie.tumblr.com


End file.
